DAVID MOSER (HIDDEN)

Tom Moser's fourth and youngest son, David Moser has taken a circuitous route into furniture design, somewhat like his fatherís. As the company's principal designer, David works closely with his father to create and develop furniture to meet the company's demanding standards and to expand its product line.

In 1988, following college, David joined the Peace Corps. After living in a small Kenyan village for a year and a half, David came home to Maine heavily influenced by his experience in Africa. His tour with the Peace Corps was cut short by heavy violence in the small village to which he was posted. "Facing a very real and persistent threat of personal danger causes you to pretty quickly evaluate what in your life is important," said David.

He returned home with a broader sense of global environmental pressures, as well as a greater understanding of the significance of his family's business in his life. "I grew up surrounded by furniture of permanence and beauty," said David. "I think that I unconsciously absorbed the design aesthetic of my father at a very early age."

Beginning in 1990, David managed the opening of all of the company's retail showrooms including San Francisco, New York and Freeport, Maine. He also oversaw the development and opening of showrooms in Philadelphia and Alexandria, Virginia, and worked as on-site manager at all but the Maine and Virginia stores. In 1994, David was named marketing director, and for three years he oversaw the company's growth in both residential and academic sales. "I feel like I am connected to our customers in an intimate way. After nearly ten years of listening to them and working with them, I feel that I can accurately predict a customer's reaction to the aesthetics and function of our work," David explains.

This background has helped him shift into design with relative confidence in understanding the type of furniture Thos. Moser customers want. "Our furniture is a permanent fixture that should transcend design trends," he said. "It should be pleasing to look at, without overtly attracting attention to itself."

Still influenced by his time in Africa, David is a member of the Game Rangers Association of Africa, and founded the African Anti-Poaching Foundation, in support of ongoing wildlife management efforts in Africa. He is a dedicated photographer, and formerly held a pilot's license. He and his wife, Pam Hurley-Moser, own and operate Hurley Travel Service in Portland. Their daughter Sabina was born in December, 2006 and they live in Cundy's Harbor, Maine.